The Latest: Vox Media ownership; Bezos defends WaPo layoffs; Business Insider CEO exits

May 20, 2026

Top stories

■ James Murdoch is buying Vox Media’s podcast network, New York magazine, and Vox.com for more than $300 million (New York Times) / Properties not included in the Lupa-Vox deal , including The Verge and Eater, will operate under a new independent company led by Vox president Ryan Pauley (Variety) / ‘Here’s Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff’s note to staff .’ (Ben Mullin)

■ Paramount is hoping to close its deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery much sooner than the company has publicly stated (Status) / Paramount’s junk-status credit rating to be downgraded further following Warner Bros. merger to reflect ‘major ongoing uncertainties,’ S&P global says (Variety)

■ 'What do you think went wrong?' CNBC host presses Jeff Bezos on Washington Post layoffs (Mediaite) / Jeff Bezos … argues paper must be profitable regardless of his wealth (FOX News)

■ Business Insider CEO Barbara Peng says she is leaving the company on June 30 ; Christian Baesler will become interim lead of the outlet (Business Insider)

■ A look at the sale prices of digital media companies : BuzzFeed sold ~86% below its peak valuation; Vice, Mic, and Food52 all sold over 90% below their highs (Axios)

■ Mountain Xpress weekly paper to be sold to nonprofit , publisher says (Asheville Citizen Times)

■ Brian McGrory announces some big changes at the top of The Boston Globe’s masthead (Dan Kennedy) / Graphics’ new hire with focus on polling and elections (New York Times) / New leaders in Shows department (New York Times) / Siobhán O’Grady joins Kyiv bureau (New York Times) / CNN hires ex-Peacock exec Anna Frost as head of worldwide marketing (Variety)

■ Why New York Times travel writers turn down press perks and freebies (New York Times)

■ How weather became one of the most important parts of local news (Poynter)

■ What 2,200 Vermonters told us about local news (VTDigger)

■ Inside the news industry’s efforts to join forces to defend its journalism from AI companies (Reuters Institute)

CRAFT

Using structured as a go-to source

“At its core, data journalism is 'interviewing' structured data . Information stored in rows and columns gets interrogated the same way a reporter interrogates a source, but in this case, programming languages and spreadsheets help to conduct those interviews. ... Understanding data as a source rather than a supplement is what changes how editors approach it. Human sources come in different forms: the reliable go-to, the tipster, and the whistleblower. Data can also play all of those roles. Data can act as the whistleblower — where it tracks something you want to find out — other times it can be a background source, which gives you a big picture, or it can be a directory to help you find people to make the center of your story. While a story built on data alone, without characters, human sources, and context, is rarely a good one, the data can lead you to the right places.”

-- Hanna Duggal , data journalist, excerpt from "Developing a data state of Mind: Key tips for editors ” (Global Investigative Journalism Network)

CAREER

Career development in the AI era

“As economic pressure, geopolitical instability, and AI-driven disruption intensify, many employees struggle to prioritize career development amid demanding workloads. Leaders can help teams stay adaptable by shifting the focus from rigid career ladders to continuous learning and skill building . Development conversations should emphasize near-term opportunities, broad and transferable capabilities, and learning embedded into day-to-day work rather than treated as an extra task. Managers should also model curiosity and growth themselves, particularly around emerging technologies like AI. In uncertain environments, organizations build stronger, more resilient teams by encouraging adaptability, continuous learning, and career development that feels practical, relevant, and achievable.”

-- Rebecca Knight , journalist, excerpt from "Supporting your employees’ career growth when everyone is overwhelmed " (Harvard Business Review)

COMMUNITY

Resources

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